As noted, Ricochet recently spoke with Shakiel Mahjouri of CBS Sports for an in-depth interview covering all things pro wrestling.
In addition to the highlights we previously published from the interview, the WWE Intercontinental Champion also spoke about what Rey Mysterio told him about Eddie Guerrero, wanting to be like The Rock early in his career and more.
Featured below are some of the additional highlights from the interview where he touches on these topics with his thoughts.
On wanting to be like Rey Mysterio and The Rock and his early career run: “I wanted to be like Rey Mysterio. I wanted to be like those guys. I wanted to be The Rock, even if it was on a smaller scale in someone’s backyard. I wanted to do that. I never thought I would be in the WWE. I was just doing it because I liked it. 2010 is when I started going to Japan, and that’s when I was like, ‘Oh, I can really start making a career out of this.’ And again, I didn’t even think that I would be in the WWE. I was like, ‘I can make a career out of this because there are other places where I can make some money. I’m not going to be in the WWE, but I can still make some money and pay my rent and pay my car payments off of wrestling, which was great.”
On how the WWE landscape changed a bit with the signing of guys like Finn Balor and Sami Zayn, and the launch of the WWE NXT brand: “As the landscape of the WWE started to change a little bit — the Balors and the Sami Zayns. Those guys really starting to change how the WWE views their athletes. Those guys are getting success there, and even before that, I started to see it and I’m like, ‘Okay, so it might be possible.’ Especially after NXT started, I’m watching the Takeovers and I’m watching all that stuff and I’m like, ‘Oh, that’s actually where I want to be. I want to be there. I want to be in NXT at the Takeovers and do those things. When Cesaro and Sami Zayn had their match, when Balor and Samoa Joe were going, Neville and Sami Zayn. I was like, ‘That’s what I want to do. That’s why I want to be there.’ When Seth Rollins and those guys started going to Raw and having crazy success, I was like, ‘I could probably do this.’ And then things just fell into place and pieces started falling together. Now, look at me.”
On what Rey Mysterio told him about Eddie Guerrero when the two met for a series of matches during his run as Prince Puma in Lucha Underground: “It was crazy because after the match I went to his locker room and was just thanking him for everything because that was just a huge, absolute dream match of mine. Not only was it a dream match of mine, but we got to create a masterpiece that we created and we went out there and performed how we wanted it to be. I just wanted to thank him and he was like, ‘We’re going to do this again one day on a bigger scale.’ He already was saying all that stuff. The crazy thing, he was like, ‘Man, I wish you could have met Eddie. Eddie would have loved you.’ That was just right to my heart.”
On being in WWE with Rey now, and having a possible rematch: “Once I got here… we got together and we just kind of reminisced like, ‘Man, remember that?’ And now we’re actually here. And now we might actually have a chance to do it. Now we’re here, so we might actually have a chance to do it once again and on a bigger scale. I really, really hope before he is done lacing the boots, that we get a chance to just lock horns again.”
Check out the complete interview below, or at YouTube.com. H/T to WrestlingHeadlines.com for transcribing the above quotes.
